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How to Get Rid of Fleas at Home

Having pets at home is really rewarding and they always make you feel better when you’re down. Most pet owners love their pets a lot and treat them as part of their family. Taking care of pets develops responsibility and patience that’s why some couples take care of pets to prepare them for having a baby.

All these great benefits of having pets at home can sound really enticing but there are also some things that you have to look out for. It’s common for pets to have parasites living on their bodies, one example would be fleas. Fleas are small jumping insects that live by sucking the blood of birds and mammals. It is able to transmit diseases by its bite and is considered dangerous. There are plenty of professionals that deal with the pest extermination including fleas.

However, their services can sometimes be expensive and not all people have the money to pay them. If you are having problems with fleas at home, there are plenty of ways that you can deal with them without paying for professional fees. Here are some tips to get you started.

Buy a good pet vacuum.

It’s very important to have a reliable vacuum that can lift pet hair up from every surface of your home to avoid any kind of infestation. By vacuuming floors and other furniture, you lessen the chance of having fleas inside the house. Animals usually shed and their hair can be everywhere, piled up hair may also contain fleas that came from the pet’s body. You need to use a powerful vacuum for pet hair and it can also help suck in the fleas that are jumping around the house.

Wash items that have been lived in.

Pet owners need to wash all of the beddings and let it spin for a long time. This includes any pillow or cloth that your pets like to lie on or sleep in regularly. If the inside of the beddings is already dirty and filled with dander or flea eggs, it’s best for you to throw it out and purchase a new one. Even if you try to wash it many times, the eggs inside the beddings will still hatch. Remember that fleas also attack humans so if you think you have an infestation, you better wash your bedsheets and any furniture cover thoroughly.

Use an insect growth regulator spray.

The best product to use is methoprene or pyriproxyfen because aerosols are not very effective. IGR’s contain chemicals that prevent larvae from evolving into fleas. If you don’t use IGR’s there is no chance for you to get rid of fleas because they develop in carpet fibers and aerosol sprays do not reach this area.

Use botanical dust and Borate acid.

Fleas have a lifespan of about a week without getting any blood from a host but a larva can live for months. You can opt for natural insecticides like borate and botanical dust to kill the larvae. Botanical dusts are considered to be the oldest natural insecticide and borate is a mineral that is used for preserving wood and detergents.